Transplacental Exposure to PCBs and Infant Development/Human Exposure Assessment.

Updated 2000-06-20

The main purpose of this research is to examine the consequences of in utero exposure to PCBs on Inuit infants, from birth to 11 months of age. Of particular interest is the impact of PCBs and mercury exposure on newborn’s thyroid hormones, physical growth, physical and central nervous system maturity, on infant’s overall health, mental, psychomotor and neurobehavioral development, and on functional and neural impairment in the domains of visual and spatial information processing. The proposed project is designed to replicate and extend previous findings by studying a more highly exposed cohort of infant, and using new infant assessment paradigms that have been linked to specific brain regions and neural pathways and, therefore, have a potential to provide information regarding possible mechanisms of action. The second objective of this research is to document the exposure to heavy metals, organochlorines and polyunsaturated fatty acids of newborns from selected communities in Nunavik. This ongoing effect study provides the opportunity to perform long time trend analysis of human exposure (data available for same communities since 1993).

This is a National Implementation Plan (NIP) project

Time frame

Status
Ongoing
Project time span
1996 - 2002
Data collection
1996 - 2001
Data processing
2000 - 2002
Data reporting
2001 - 2002

Contact information

Contact person
Gina Muckle
Address
Public Health Research Unit CHUL Medical Research Center 2400 D'Estimauville, Beauport (Québec) Canada, G1E 7G9
Phone
+1 418 666 7000 ext. 360
Fax
+1 418 666 2776
Email
ac.cq.qpsc@elkcumg
Other project contacts
-Joseph L. Jacobson, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan. Phone +1 313 993 3427 -Eric Dewailly, Public Health Research Unit, CHUQ Medical Research Center. Phone +1 418 666 7000 ext. 222

Parameters and Media

Parameter groups measured/observed/modelled
Heavy metals
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
Media sampled/studied/modelled
Human media

Geography

Regions studied
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
Other areas
Northern Québec, Nunavik

Data availability

Are data archived or planned to be archived at an AMAP Thematic Data Centre?
no
If no (or only part of data are reported to a TDC), where and how are (other) data stored?
Centre de Toxicologie du Québec
Samples/specimens archived in specimen banks?
No

Methods & Procedures

Not specified

Additional Information

Is this a bi- AND multi-lateral project (i.e. a project involving cooperation between different countries)?
Yes
Other institutes involved in the project

Wayne State University

Is this project reporting to other organizations/programmes?

- National Institute of Environmental Health, USA - Arctic Environmental Strategy (AES), Northern Contaminants Program, Indian and Northern Affairs - Health Canada - Hydro-Québec

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